In the 19th Century, before Saskatchewan was settled, a survey expedition led by John Palliser was sent west to evaluate the agricultural prospects of this country. They reported that there was a huge triangle  of land starting along the southern border of the Canadian prairies with its northern point near Lloydminster that would not be suitable for agriculture and should not be considered for settlement. Their conclusion was based on the scarcity of native trees, indicating a shortage of rainfall. This area has forever after been know as the Palliser Triangle.

They were not wrong about this being a semi-arid country, some of it is ranch country, but the triangle also includes a large part of the cultivated farmland of Alberta and Saskatchewan. My wife and I live in the heart of the Palliser Triangle; the soil in our area is sandy, the rainfall is scanty. Yet farmers have adapted their tillage methods and learned how to raise some pretty impressive crops in these circumstances.

This year was looking like it would be different. The rainfall in May and June was almost non-existent, the lowest on record. Last week the news media began talking of drought, saying the crop would probably be the poorest in decades.

Saturday it began to rain, and has rained off and on for three days. The main crops grown here are Canola, lentils, wheat and barley. They are all at the seed forming stage now and the rain has come just in time to make a huge difference.

Our brown lawn is turning green already. The pastures will revive, the trees and wildflowers will thrive. Even if the rains had come too late for this year’s crop, the renewed soil moisture would renew farmers’ hopes for next year.

Nature is always ready for a revival. Are we? Or do we accept dry and arid conditions as the normal Christian life? Or do we look for the excitement of thunder and lightning and underestimate the restorative power of gently falling rain?

A sound and light show, however thrilling it may be, will not by itself bring revival to a dry and thirsty land. It is the rain that we need. May we be ready to soak up the showers of revival, no matter how God may choose to send them.